Region gets rare Blair win

For just the second time in the history of the 20th annual Jack Blair Memorial girls basketball game, the Region topped the Metro.

And it did so in impressive fashion Wednesday, using good shooting and a page out of the Greater Spokane League’s book for a 74-64 victory at Post Falls High School.

It was well worth the 3½-hour drive for Brewster junior standout Chandler Smith, who scored a game-high 15 points, had seven rebounds and two blocked shots to lead Region.

“We shot the ball very well and played great defense,” she said. “Playing with the best is fun. We have great girls here. And the atmosphere. It was a great game.”

Smith was the unanimous selection as the game’s most valuable player. Mead junior Delany Junkermier was named the most inspirational player.

Post Falls coach Marc Allert knew the Region had a good chance.

“Everybody talks about the GSL’s defense and I told the girls before the game, ‘Hey, we can play defense too,’ ” Allert said. “They did a great job.”

The Metro, which didn’t shoot well overall, never led.

“If we’d made a few more shots you never know,” Mead coach Quantae Anderson said. “For a while we couldn’t buy a basket.”

University senior Kayleigh Valley led balanced Metro with 10 points and Junkermier and Otiona Gildon added 10 apiece.

Coeur d’Alene junior post Sydney Williams supported Smith with 12 points and eight rebounds and CdA senior guard Caelyn Orlandi chipped in 10.

“The first half was hard gelling together but once we got used to each other in the second half we started making shots,” Williams said.

Baseball

Lewis-Clark State will play for its 17th national championship after a 13-7 victory over Embry-Riddle at the NAIA Baseball World Series in Lewiston.

Brady Steiger, Kyle Blackwell and Brian Corliss each drove in two runs for the Warriors (45-14). Anthony Armanino (11-3) went five innings on short rest.

LCSC will have to beat Faulkner, the field’s lone unbeaten team, twice to win the title. They will play tonight at 6:35. If the Warriors win, they’ll play a winner-take-all game Friday at 6:35.

• Two Washington State players earned Pac-12 honorable mention honors: junior outfielder/pitcher Jason Mondo and junior catcher Collin Slaybaugh.

Rowing

Gonzaga freshman Kara Soucek was named to the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association All-West Region first team.